by Myra Lewyn
Dynaforce immediately spurted to the lead and repelled a determined challenge from runner-up Mauralakana (Fr) in early stretch before drawing off to a comfortable victory the $588,000 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Belmont Park.
The five-year-old Dynaformer mare earned her first win at the highest level after leading all the way under Alan Garcia in the 1¼-mile race. Dynaforce completed the distance in 2:07.59 on a yielding turf course that was drenched by rain the past two days.
Formerly based in France, Dynaforce avenged a previous loss to Mauralakana, who held her off by a neck in the New York Stakes (G2) on June 21 at the Elmont, New York, track in Dynaforce’s United States debut.
Mauralakana, the 7-to-10 favorite, lacked the energy to duplicate that effort on Saturday after engaging Dynaforce on the second turn. The pair sprinted clear of three opponents and matched strides into the stretch.
“I got past her and I was faster than the winner, but I couldn’t sustain the run,” jockey Kent Desormeaux said of Mauralakana.
Garcia guided Dynaforce to the lead right out of the gate and she cut out slow early fractions while Jade Queen pressed from second through six furlongs in a leisurely 1:19.22.
Mauralakana tossed her head and fought the bit while fourth early as Desormeaux tried to settle the five-year-old Muhtathir (GB) mare. Once under control, Mauralakana maintained her position until nearing the second turn. She unleashed a strong three-wide move but the yielding turf eventually sapped her stamina.
Dynaforce posted a close runner-up finish to Forever Together in the Diana Stakes (G1) on July 26 at Saratoga Race Course and entered off a fifth-place finish in the Glens Falls Handicap (G3) on September 1 at Saratoga. She may have stamped herself a candidate for the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) on October 24 at Santa Anita Park with the Flower Bowl win.
“I’ll have to talk to [owner-breeder John Chandler] and discuss it,” trainer Bill Mott said.
“I’m real proud of her,” Mott said of the half sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Cetewayo. “I saw the fractions and I thought the turf was pretty soft – I mean [2:07.59] for a mile and a quarter.”
Mauralakana finished a neck in front of third-place finisher Communique.
Dynaforce won for the first time in four starts this season. Her overall record improved to four wins in 11 career starts, including a listed stakes at Chantilly as a three-year-old for trainer Andre Fabre, and boosted her earnings to $614,772.
Kentucky-bred Dynaforce is out of the winning Diesis (GB) mare Aletta Maria, who also produced Grade 2 winner Bowman Mill.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor